[.ca] Green Light (Remaster)

From Amazon.com:
The late '70s found Bonnie Raitt casting about for a new musical direction. Ironically, she found it on 1982's Green Light by going back to the basics. The album finds her using her road musicians, the Bump Band (including former Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan) and handling most of the guitar chores herself, resulting in a confident, high-energy set. The hard-charging "Willy Wontcha" rocks with abandon, as do Raitt's covers of a pair of NRBQ tunes, "Me and the Boys" and "Green Lights." There's also a Bob Dylan track, "Let's Keep It Between Us" and a little easy-in-the-islands charm, courtesy of Eddy Grant's "Baby Come Back." --Daniel Durchholz

One Of The Best Albums You Never Heard Of:
I first heard Bonnie Raitt in 1989, when she had become the toast the record industry following the release of "Nick Of Time". I knew that she had been around for a long time before that, but (like a lot of other people, I guess) I had never really heard anything by her. She had never gotten a lot of airplay. I was impressed, though, and I decided to give some of her other albums a try. I got a copy of "Green Light", and I can say I wasn't disappointed. This album is a first-rate collection of solid rock-and-roll songs. There isn't a clinker in it anywhere. There are several straight-up rockers, such as "Willya Wontcha" and "Me and the Boys", and a couple of slower tunes, like "River of Tears". Several are covers of songs by others, but all are given solid treatment here. Check out Raitt's versions of Dylan's "Let's Keep It Between Us" and Eddy Grant's "Baby Come Back". There are just two minor problems with this album. First, the lack of a standout song that could have been put out as a single to capture some airplay. Second, Raitt's vocals sometimes sound a bit thin or tinny. As though the microphone was inside a tin can. She doesn't quite have the vocal presence on this album that she acquired by the time she recorded "Nick Of Time". Even so, "Green Light" is a very good album. The songs are well-chosen and played with feeling. If you like rock-and-roll (or if you just like Bonnie Raitt) give this album a listen. I think you'll like it.

Kinda NEW WAVE Bonnie!:
This is my favorite Bonnie Raitt album because it ROCKS more and flirts a little with "new wave" sound more than her others. The NRBQ tunes are my favorite, but what sold me was the single I heard on WNEW FM in NYC "Keep This Heart In Mind." I liked the rock production and the hook was good. I liked "Baby Come Back" and "Can't Help Myself" too. This is an entertaining, party kind of album, the most fun she ever made because it shifts moods and really showcases all her talents. Much better than that BORING "Nick of Time" one that won all those Grammys.

Bonnie rocks those blues away:
This album is predominately an up-tempo rocking album - it never slows below mid-tempo - although Bonnie's roots in blues music are still in evidence. This was the first Bonnie Raitt album I ever bought and is still my favorite among those I've heard. Apparently, the musicians used on this album were the ones that backed her on tour at the time rather than studio musicians. Bonnie found some great songs here by noted songwriters such as Eric Kaz (River of tears) and Bob Dylan (Let's keep it between us, one of his more obscure but still excellent songs). Two songs were written by Terry Adams of NRBQ - the title track and Me and the boys. To my ears, the standout track is Baby come back, perhaps because I was already familiar with the song even before Bonnie started her long and distinguished career. Eddy Grant wrote this song in the sixties, when he was lead singer of the Equals. Their original version of the song went all the way to number one in the UK charts in 1968. Bonnie's cover is faithful to the original but equally brilliant. I love to hear Bonnie sing the blues but this album shows that Bonnie could rock too. It may not be typical, but it's great entertainment.

Bonnie kicks out the jams again on her "lost masterpiece":
Three years after the unmitigated failure of THE GLOW, Bonnie Raitt returned once again to the rockier sound of her early stuff with this album. With considerable help from modern-day rockabilly band NRBQ, GREEN LIGHT is often called Bonnie's lost masterpiece, which indeed it is with some of her most energetic performances ever. While the album may be all about cutting loose, Bonnie still takes time to reflect on a song by her friend Eric Kaz ("River Of Tears") which she often dedicated in concert to late Little Feat leader Lowell George. She even makes a rarely heard Bob Dylan song ("Let's Keep It Between Us") her own. When Bonnie's record company failed to back up GREEN LIGHT, the album sunk without a trace, which proved to be only the beginning of more troubles between Bonnie and Warner Brothers.

Another Raitt career highlight....:
Being a fan of Bonnie's music since the middle 70's period, I was use to her wonderful voice, guitar stylings and assorted material she chose to sing and sometimes wrote and recorded herself. I just loved her early work to death, played it so much growing up. Pick up any Bonnie collection during the 1970's and theres always something to love from this period., she puts her soul into everything. By the early 80'she seem to start to struggle just to be heard on a radio station and with this collection she almost got it right. Like earlier reviews stated she just needed that one single to push this into mainstream, but for one reason or another it sank. I always felt this was one of her best records, I saw her perform this material in Boston after its release and I remember the concert was considered one or two of the best shows (LIVE) in Boston in 82'. The material ROCKED!She was dazzill'in to watch and had complete control of these songs. I feel it was difficult for Bonnie to put this energy on a record, she should have recorded these concerts live, they were like nothing I'd ever experienced going to see Bonnie. Great songs on GREEN LIGHT, but the production on this record just wasn't quite right. Her vocals had been recorded much better in the past, she blended into the music too much and that voice should have been recorded much more in the front and center, like Don Was did, now listen to her, she's an awesome vocalist with a tight blues rock sound and she can do anything. This period, early 80's was the time video came jumping out and the flashiest got noticed and Bonnie never really compromised herself to a sellout, it took time and "Green Light" was just a great step'in stone for a women like Bonnie showcasing what a great talent she would be in the not that far away 90's.

• Keep This Heart in Mind
• River of Tears
• Can't Get Enough
• Willya Wontcha
• Let's Keep It Between Us
• Me and the Boys
• I Can't Help Myself
• Baby Come Back
• Talk to Me
• Green Lights